Handlamp switch



F. 1.. HUMESTON HANDLAMP SWITCH July 22, 1924.

Filed Feb. 24 j? 3! Patented July 22, 1924.

UNITED STATES 1,502,567 PATENT orrlce.

FREDERICK L. HUMESTON, 0F NEVJ HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO WINCHESTER REPEATING ARllIS COMPANY, OF NEW HAVEN, CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

HANDLAMP SV'ITCH.

Application filed February 24, 1923.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Fnnonmon L. HUME- s'rozv, a citizen of the United States, residing at 25 Brewster St, New Haven, in the county of New Haven, State of Connecti cut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in l-landlamp Switches; and

I do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the in vention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to portable hand lamps of the type wherein a battery and incandescent lamp are housed within a casing and are provided with contact means mounted on the casing by which the flow of current from the battery through the lamp may be controlled.

One object or" this invention is to provide an improved contact device wherein certain of the parts may be locked in inactive position when lighting of the lamp is to be avoided, as, for instance, when the lamp is being shipped, or is being carried in a tool kit.

This invention also provides improved means whereby flashing of the light may be readily accomplished, that is, means whereby the lamp may be momentarily or continuously lighted for the purpose of signalling or like operations, while the thumb of the operator presses continuously on the button or lil e actuating means. The improved switch also includes means for keeping the lamp circuit closed without the need for continuous pressure on the thumb piece.

in addition to the above described characteristics, this invention includes improved means for locking the contact mechanism whereby the lamp circuit is positively held open when lighting of the lamp is for any reason to be avoided.

Other objects and advantages of this invention will be clear from the following de scription taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of a hand lamp equipped with the improved contact device;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the contact device;

F ig. 3 is a longitudinal section of the con tact device taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are transverse sections Serial No. 629,919.

taken on line d d.- of F ig. 2, showing various positions of the contact device and having parts cut away to show clearly the details of construction;

Fig. 7 is a plan view of the contact member shown in Fig. 3;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the escutcheon plate with the movable elements removed therefrom; 7

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the manually rotatable switch member;

Figs. 10, 11 and 12 are respectively top view, elevations, and bottom view of the rotatable contact element;

Fig. 13 is an elevation of the push button; and

Fig. leis a bottom view of the push button shown in Fig. 13.

In the hand lamp of Fig. 1, dry cells 1 and 2 are placed end to end with the carbon electrode of the topmost cell making electrical connection with the inner terminal of an incandescent lamp 3, and the naked Zinc bottom of the lowermost cell making connection through a spring l with a metal cap 5, by which the lower end of the casing or tube 6 is closed. This tube may be or. fiber equipped with the usual threaded collars 7 and 8 and a ring 9, by which the lens 10 and reflector 11 are clamped in position. The rim of reflector 11 is preterably spaced from collar 8 and ring 9 to prevent inadvertent lighting of the lamp when the device is carried with metal tools. Electrically connected with the outer terminal of the lamp. 3, as through reflector 11, is a metal strip 12 leading to one terminal of the switch gap of the contact device, and, similarly, a list metal strip 13 is electrically connected with the bottom of dry cell 2, as through cap 5 and spring 4, and having its upper end electrically connected to the other side of the switch gap.

The contact means whereby electrical connection is established between strips 12 and 13, preferably comprises an escutcheon plate 14, carrying an integral housing 15 enclosing the two elements of the switch gap and protecting them against accidental shortcircuiting. This housing has a pair of arouate slots 16 (Fig. 8) which serve as guides for one of the movable elements, and also a round opening 17 through which the thumb piece or button 18 may protrude for manual actuation. Y

In the form of hand lamp shown in the drawing, th housing 15 carries a spring contact member 19, which is shown fixed to the housing by a rivet 20. This contact member extends near the push button 18 and into close proximity to the upturned end 21 of the metal strip 12, the arrangement being such that when the contact member 19 is depressed the required amount, it will engage the strip 12 and thus close the lamp circuit. For instance, when thumb pressure is applied to the button 18, this strip or contact member 19 is flexed lnto contact with the opposing conductor of the gap. This flexing of the contact member 19 may be used for flashing the light or for causing a steady light as long as the operator holds the button in depressed position.

In order that the contact member 19 may not be flexed when lighting of the lamp is to be avoided, there is provided a locking means movable into position under one edge of the contact member 19. This contact member preferably has a notched portion 22, especially adapted to be engaged by the locking means, which is preferably in the form of a. hook 23 carried by and preferably integral with a switch element 24, which may be actuated by means external to the hand lamp casing. When the switch ele ment 24 is moved so that the hook 23 engages the notched section 22 of the contact member 19, it is obvious that pressure on the push button 18 cannot flex the contact member into closed circuit position. The lamp may be thus protected against inadvertent closing of the contact device.

Means is also provided for closing the lamp circuit and maintaining this circuit in a closed condition without the need for continued pressure on the thumb piec or push button. In the form of the invention shown in the drawing, the switch element 24 is provided with a cam surface 25 adapted to engage the contact member 19 when the element 24 is moved in the proper direction. When this element is thus moved, the surface causes the Contact member 19 to be depressed until it engages the metal strip 12 and the lamp circuit remains closed until this element 24 is returned to its initial position.

The switch element 24, which carries the locking hook 23 and the cam surface 25, is preferably in the form of an arc and, regardless of its particular form, it is adapted to be actuated by a rotatable member 26 on the outside of the housing 15. The element 24 may consist of a. metal stamping having the hook 23 and cam surface 25 integral therewith, or it may be a composite member,

as will readily be appreciated by those familiar with the art. The rotatable member 26 on the outside of the housing 15 is associated with the push button 18 and preferthe housing 15 and intoengagement with the ring 26. These two elements may be fixed together in any suitable manner such as providing holes 28 (Fig. 9) in the ring 26, projecting the tangs 27 through these holes and bending over the ends of the tangs in any convenient manner (see- Fig. 4). The

'arcuate slots 16 permit the contact element 24 to be rotated nearly 180 deg. This freedom of movement should be suflicient to permit proper functioning of the locking hook and cam surface, as well as the push butten 18.

The operation of my improved switch mechanism may be understood by referring to Figs. 4, 5 and 6, which show the several positions of the movable elements. When the ring 26 and the contact element 24 are in the position shown in Fig. 4, the contact member 19 is free to be flexed at will by pressure applied to push button 18. When the ring 26 is turned so that the switch element 24 is in the position shown in Fig. 5,

the contact member 19 is effectively and positively locked in open circuit position by virtue of the hook 23 projecting under the edge of this contact member. in Fig. 6 the ring 26 is shown in the steady lighting position, that is, the ring has been turned in the direction opposite to that in which it was turned to produce the condition shown in Fig. 5. In Fig. 6 the switch element 24 is in the position where it holds the contact member 19 against the metal strip 12. This contact member was depressed by the action of the cam surface 25 as the ring 26 was turned to the position shown, and the lower, substantially fiat surface of the contact element 24 effectively holds the spring member in this depressed position.

In order to prevent rattling of the push button 18 when the contact member 19 is held in closed circuit position, I employ any suitable means such as the conical coil spring 29 which engages the under surface 30 of the overhanging edge of the push button 18 and tends to hold this button in its outermost position.

The contact member 19 is preferably provided with an integral guide piece 31 punched from the strip 19 and extending through a guide opening in the housing 15 (see Fig. 3). This guide piece 31, cooperating with the opening in the housing 15, serves to prevent the contact member 19 from swinging about the axis of the rivet and thus getting out of alignment.

A hand lamp constructed in accordance with this invention will not light up when laid on a metal surface, because the .metal fittings at the front end of the lamp are not in the circuit and all of the other exposed parts are of'the :same electrical polarity. lVhen the contact device has ben locked, the hand lamp can be carried about in a tool kit r can be sent through the mails or otherwise roughly handled, without danger that inadvertent pressure on the push button 18 will cause lighting of the lamp when lighting is to be avoided. r

I am aware that changes in details can be made in the contact device and in the lamp structure, without departing from the scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. A contactdevice for battery hand lamps comprising acontact member for closing the lamp circuit and a rotatable element adapted to cooperate with said contact member to lock said member positively, in

open circuit position whereby all movement of said member is prevented.

2. A contact device for battery hand lamps comprising a contact member for closing the lamp circuit, a rotatable element associated with said contact member, and means associated with said element for positively locking said member in open circuit position as desired whereby all move ment of said member is prevented, said element having a surface adapted to engage said member for holding said member in closed circuit position when continuous lighting of the lamp is desired.

3. A contact device for battery hand lamps comprising a contact 7 member for closing the lamp circuit, a rotatable element cooperating with said member, and means associated with said element for positively locking said member in open circuit position when said element is turned in one direction whereby all movement of said member is prevented, said element having means whereby the circuit may be held closed by said element when it is turned in the opposite direction.

A. A contact device for battery hand lamps comprising a contact member for closing the lamp circuit, a push button for flashing the lamp, a rotatable element associated with said push button and cooperating with said contact member, said element being adapted to lock said member in open circuit posit on when it is turned in one direction whereby all movement of said member is prevented, and to move said member to close said circuit and hold it closed continuously when the element is turned in the opposite direction.

5. A contact device for battery hand lamps comprf sing a contact member for closing the lamp circuit, a push button for flashing the lamp, and an element associated with said button and contact member, said element having a hook thereon for locking said member in open circuit position where by all movement of said member is prevented, and a cam surface for moving said member to close the lamp circuit when continuous lighting of the lamp is desired.

6. A contact device for battery hand lamps comprising a contact member for closing the lamp circuit, a push button for flashing the lamp, an element having a cam surface associated with said contact member for moving said member into closed circuit position when continued lighting of the lamp is desired, and a hook associated with said element for positively locking said member in open circuit position whereby all movement of said member is prevented, said push button and element being arranged so that in one position of the element the push button is free to be actuated, in a second position the contact member is positively locked, and in a third position the contact member is held in closed circuit position.

7. In a contact device for battery hand lamps having a contactmember for closing the lamp circuit, a manually rotatable member, an element connected to said rotatable member and cooperating with said contact member to lock said contact member positively in open circuit position when said rotatable member is turned in one direction whereby all movement of said member is prevented and to move said contact member into closed circuit position when said rotatable member is turned in the opposite direction.

8. In a contact device for battery hand lamps, a switch element adapted to be actuated by rotatable means on the outside of the hand lamp casing, said element having a hook for positively locking the device in open circuit position whereby all movement of said member is-prevented and a cam surface for closing the hand lamp circuit when continuous lighting of the lamp is desired.

'9. In a contact device for battery hand lamps, a switch element adapted to be actuated by rotatable means on the outside of the hand lamp casing, said element having a hook for positively locking the device in open circuit position whereby all movement of said member is prevented and a cam surface for closing the hand lamp circuit when continuous lighting of the lamp is desired, said element being in the form of an arc and fixed to the rotatable means on the outside of the hand lamp casing.

10. A contact device for battery hand lamps, comprising an escutcheon plate fixed to the hand lamp casing, a housing integral with said plate, a contact member fixed to ter thereof, a push button disposed within this opening, a contact element connected to said rotatable member and having a hook and a cam surface thereon, said rotatable member, push button and contact element being arranged so that in one position of the rotatable member the push button is free to move said first contact member into closed circuit position when pressure is appliedto said push button, in a second position this contact member is held positively in open circuit position and all movement thereof is prevented, and in a third position this con tact member is held in closed circuit position.

11. A contact device for battery hand lamps, comprising an escutcheon plate fixed to the hand lamp casing, a housing integral with said plate, a contact member fixed to said housing, a second contact member in close proximity to the first contact member, a rotatable member mounted on said housing and having an opening in the center thereof, a push button disposed within this opening, a coil spring yieldingly supporting said push button in its outermost position, a contact element connected to said rota-table member and having a hook and a cam surface thereon, said rotatable member, push button and contact element being arranged so that in one position of said rotatable member the push button is free to move said first contact member into closed circuit position when pressure is applied to said guide piece projecting through an opening in said housing, a second contact member in close proximity to said first contact member, a rotatable member mounted on said housing and having an opening in the center thereof, a push button disposed within this opening, a contact element connected to said rotatable member and having a hook and a cam surface thereon, said rotatable member, push button and contact element being arranged so that in one position of said rotatable member the push button is 7 free to move said first contact member into closed circuit position when pressure is applied to said button, in a second position of said rotatable member this contact member is held positively in open circuit position so that all movement thereof is prevented, and in the third positionof said rotatable member this contact member is held in closed circuit position.

13. In a contact device for battery hand lamps,-an escutcheon plate fixed to the hand lamp casing, a housing carried by said plate, a spring contact member riveted to said housing, a guide piece integral with said member, and adapted to prevent turning of said member about the rivet securing it to said housing, means for actuating said member to flash thelamp, means for positively locking said member in open circuit position whereby all movement of said member is prevented, and means for moving said member into closed circuit position and'holding it in this position.-

14. In a contact device for battery hand lamps, an escutcheon plate fixed to the hand lamp casing, a housing integral with said plate, a spring contact member riveted to said housing, a guide piece integral with said member and extending through an opening in said housing, means for actuating said member to flash the lamp, means for positively locking said member in open circuit position, and means for moving said member into closed circuit position and holding it in this position.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

FREDERICK L. HUMESTON. 

